York President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri has issued the following letter to the York community:
In late February, we received the Phase 1 Report of the Process Re-engineering & Service Enhancement Review (PRASE) from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) outlining a wide range of potential service improvements for the University.
Following the release of the full PwC report, we held two community information sessions and then began a 30-day consultation period to get additional feedback both on the Phase 1 Report, as well as specific input on how we should proceed with the implementation of PRASE. Now that the consultation period has concluded, I would like to provide you with a brief summary of the major themes that emerged from this dialogue that have shaped our next steps.
First, there is strong support for moving forward quickly with the next phase of PRASE to help us maximize the human and financial resources available to support our core activities and improve our services. In particular, there is widespread awareness and understanding that the way we currently deliver services can be done more efficiently and simply, and in doing so, avoids unnecessary duplication.
Second, as we make decisions about which service opportunities to pursue, we need to be guided by what has the greatest potential impact for advancing York’s Strategic Priorities articulated in the White Paper and the University’s Academic Plan 2010-2015. This means wherever and whenever possible, we must align PRASE’s goals to support and strengthen York’s academic quality, ensure student success and enhance community engagement.
The third theme emerging from the consultations was that in order the initiative to be successful, York must take the lead in the actual design and implementation of PRASE to ensure that we can leverage the extensive experience, knowledge, history and culture of our University. This approach is consistent with what we have been hearing in the Better Workplace (BW) discussions. While we can benefit from outside advice and perspectives, in the end, the success of PRASE depends on the full participation of our community and on investing in our own ability to lead and implement change.
So, with that in mind, I have asked Patrick Monahan, vice-president academic & provost, and Gary Brewer, vice-president finance & administration, to lead the University into Phase 2 of PRASE. They will continue to consult on a regular basis with the senior administrative team, including vice-presidents and deans, as well as faculty, staff, students and the larger York community.
Patrick and Gary will be providing a more detailed briefing on the framing of Phase 2, including information as to how York’s community may wish to become directly involved in the implementation of PRASE.
Once again, I would like to thank PwC, Patrick and Gary, the PRASE Steering Committee and Working Group for their ongoing commitment and support as well as our entire York community for their continued active involvement in PRASE. I look forward to working with you all as we move forward with this important undertaking for the University.